'I want him to be with us' – Emery ignoring Ramsey rumours amid Barca and Chelsea links

The midfielder is out of contract at the end of the season and has been linked with with several top clubs, but Arsenal’s new boss wants to keep him

Arsenal head coach Unai Emery is focused on the club’s Premier League preparations amid speculation over Aaron Ramsey, though he hopes the star midfielder remains at the Emirates.

Ramsey is out of contract at the end of the season and the Wales international has been linked with La Liga champions Barcelona and Premier League rivals Chelsea.

The 27-year-old has established himself as one of the league’s best midfielders since joining Arsenal from Cardiff City in 2008.

Asked about Ramsey’s contract situation following Arsenal’s 6-5 penalty shootout win over Chelsea in the International Champions Cup on Wednesday, Emery told reporters: “I don’t know. That is one question for the club and for the player.

“I am very concentrated. I am focused. My focus is thinking every day for training, the player, for the match against Lazio on Saturday and then Manchester City [first Premier League game of the season].

“The contract is one question for the club and for the player.”

Click Here: Fjallraven Kanken Art Spring Landscape Backpacks

Emery added: “One question for the club and for the player. Our opinion, my opinion is clear, I want him to be with us. But it is one question for continuing speaking the player and the club.

“My opinion is he’s professional. He’s a player I want in this team.”

Ramsey was set to start the 1-1 draw in Dublin midweek but the Welshman was withdrawn pre-game due to a calf injury.

“He has one muscular [injury] and we decided not to start him playing the match because he is maybe a bigger risk for him,” Emery said. “I am waiting for the medical assessment and not a big problem.”

Emery is also waiting to hear the severity of Sead Kolasinac’s injury after the Bosnian limped out of the game.

Kolasinac hobbled off with 20 minutes remaining before Petr Cech emerged the hero in the shoot-out after Alexandre Lacazette’s 93rd-minute equaliser – cancelling out Antonio Rudiger’s early opener – forced penalties.

“We are very happy. The performances are getting better,” he said. “I think it’s good. At this moment we need to stay together and have these moments in the game.

“We controlled the match with the possession and good opportunities and creating chances for the goal. The performance tonight was good and to find our best preparation for the start of the competition.

“After it is clear the problem with these nights [with injuries], first is Aaron Ramsey not a big problem, Kolasinac maybe different because it is his leg. For that, we are waiting for the medical analysis.”

Pochettino: World Cup poses massive challenge for Spurs

With many of Tottenham’s international stars returning after a short pre-season, the club manager is wary of the challenge ahead

Mauricio Pochettino feels it is a “massive challenge” to manage the workload of Tottenham’s World Cup stars in the early weeks of the new Premier League season.

England internationals Harry Kane, Dele Alli and Eric Dier are among the players to have been given time off after the tournament, with no participation in pre-season games as a result.

World Cup winner Hugo Lloris and Belgium internationals Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld were also playing at Russia 2018 only a month ago.

Pochettino’s side get their Premier League campaign up and running away at Newcastle United on Saturday and the manager accepts he has difficult team selection decisions ahead.

“[For] the players that were involved in the World Cup, it was massive and so important to give a very good rest and recovery after a very tough season and World Cup and now it’s a big challenge for us to try to provide them with the best tools to be competitive as soon as possible,” Pochettino told Tottenham’s official website.

“Always we need to assess them. We will see on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday then Thursday and Friday to take a decision for the team.

“If some players are ready, of course we are going to use them but we are not going to take some risks because sometimes for one game, you lose the players for one month or two months and that is [why it is] so important to be clever in the decisions that we are going to take.”

Pochettino previously suggested 21-year-old midfielder Luke Amos could be in line to start against Newcastle.

Click Here: Cheap France Rugby Jersey